Popular Woodworking Magazine » Sharpening

Shut up and Sharpen

Christopher Schwarz — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:04:27 +0000

I make it a point to avoid blogging about sharpening. It is the simplest thing to do that is made confusing by too much talk and too many commercial products. I honestly do not care how you sharpen your tools. If you can get a zero-radius intersection and then polish the two surfaces, then you … Read more »

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Sharpening Angles for Dullards

Christopher Schwarz — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:30:38 +0000

The most embarrassing jig I’ve ever owned has been photographed, measured and pondered more than any single piece of fine furniture I’ve built. It’s a stupid little block of wood with stops on it for many common sharpening angles I use with my side-clamp honing guide – sometimes called the “Eclipse” guide because that was … Read more »

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Arno Burnisher: The One True No-fail Burnisher

Christopher Schwarz — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 15:18:28 +0000

Sometimes it’s not you. Sometimes, it is the tool that is causing the problem – especially if we are talking about burnishers. The following scene has been repeated so many times during the last seven years that it is beginning to feel like “Groundhog Day” for me. Woodworker: I can’t turn a hook on a … Read more »

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All Oilstones are not Equal

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 01:02:52 +0000

When steel and an abrasive intersect, the typical result is utter confusion. Today we have more choices in steel than ever before. The same goes for abrasives. And so wading into the issue of what abrasive to use with what steel is a subject that should be a book – not a blog entry. (If … Read more »

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DMT’s Dia-Flat Takes a Crazy Beating

Christopher Schwarz — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 16:50:57 +0000

I don’t get too worked up about sharpening equipment. With a few exceptions, any abrasive gets your tools sharp. And I find that the less I write about abrasives, the happier I am. But I’m going to break my silence to talk about DMT’s Dia-Flat lapping plate. It is awesome – practically perfect. Yes, it … Read more »

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Back Bevels on Block Planes

Christopher Schwarz — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:11:04 +0000

When I was taught to sharpen in 1992, the flat back of the iron was holy ground. We were taught to flatten it completely and polish it like a mirror. Never mind that none of the old tools we were buying at flea markets looked like that. With the old tools, there was rarely much … Read more »

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MWA Chats with Ron Hock, of Hock Tools

Megan Fitzpatrick — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 11:38:22 +0000

Download podcast episode No. 10 from the Modern Woodworkers Association (also known as MWA) to listen to an almost hour-long chat with Ron Hock, the owner and founder of Hock Tools, and author of “The Perfect Edge” (in which you’ll find just about everything you’d want to know about tool steel and sharpening). – Megan … Read more »

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How Larry Williams Hones a Chisel – Don’t Blink

Megan Fitzpatrick — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:47:41 +0000

On my recent visit to Kelly Mehler’s School of Woodworking, in Berea, Ky., Larry Williams of Old Street Tool took a few minutes away from his planemaking students to show me how he hones the 30° secondary bevel on a chisel – no fuss, no honing jig. And without the talking and my making him … Read more »

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Woodworking 101: Basic Sharpening

Tom Nunlist — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:49:46 +0000

Sharpen a Plane Blade There are many ways to sharpen plane blades, and woodworkers have strong opinions on the best technique. Here is a simple, reliable method to achieve a sharp edge. It takes just three waterstones, an inexpensive jig and a few minutes. 1. Get a flat back. While some blades come with a … Read more »

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Learn to Sharpen Chisels the Japanese Way

David Thiel — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:43:52 +0000

Another video on sharpening? Ugh! No, wait…this one’s kinda different. In fact, this video isn’t about the cutting edge of the chisel. What?! It’s true. “Chisel Sharpening with Harrelson Stanley” is about the ergonomics of the body and its relationship to the chisel. Japanese tool and sharpening expert Harrelson Stanley discusses how to hold your … Read more »

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